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Canadian Badlands and Rocky Mountains

Step into Alberta's Great Plains, search for dinosaur bones in the Badlands, and hike in the Canadian Rockies

Canada
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 1 review

9 Days from

$ 

Trip Code: CGA
View dates to Book
Essential Information
Duration
  • 9 Days
Activities
  • 4 day hikes
Accommodation
  • 8 nights hotel
Meals
  • 1 Dinner
  • 7 Lunches
  • 8 Breakfasts
Difficulty Grading  
3 / 10

Introductory

Trip highlights

  • Enjoy some of the best day hikes in the Canadian Rockies
  • Experience the Canadian Badlands
  • Learn about ancestral Indigenous hunting tradition of buffalo jumps
  • Explore Banff and the natural playground that surrounds it
  • Take in the views at scenic Lake Louise and its surrounding peaks and glaciers

Overview

For many, Alberta is all about the Great Plains, for others, the province is all about the Canadian Rockies. This itinerary provides the perfect mix of the scenic rural landscapes of the westernmost province of the prairie, and the aquamarine glacial lakes and majestic snow-capped mountains. Home to the third-largest Aboriginal population in Canada, your experience in Alberta includes historical significant sites like dinosaur fossil beds and buffalo jumps. As we leave the multi-hued canyons and wind-sculpted hoodoos of the Canadian Badlands, we go along the foothills of the mountains into Waterton Lakes. While the landscapes are spectacular, remember to also keep your eyes open for the abundant wildlife including bighorn sheep, grizzly bears and bison recently reintroduced in Alberta as a conservation project. From here we keep the mountain backdrop for scenic drives to some of the world’s best hiking trails in Banff & Yoho National Parks. We take a big dose of fresh air into endless forests, admiring the panoramic mountain views, turquoise colour of the glacier-fed lakes, and rainbows at the waterfalls.

Itinerary

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On arrival at Calgary Airport, we will meet you and transfer you to the group hotel. A trip briefing will take place in the hotel foyer at the time indicated in your final documents, where you will meet your fellow travellers.

Meals: Nil

From Calgary, we drive into the Canadian Badlands to Dinosaur Provincial Park, home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of dinosaur fossils. A guided interpretive tour of the park brings us 75 million years back as we walk in the footsteps of the dinosaurs. Over 50 species and more than 150 full dinosaur skeletons have been unearthed here! Besides being an archeologic gem, the sediments exposed in the badlands, the rock formations and hoodoos create out-of-this-world landscapes. After our visit, we head to the historic Patricia Hotel & Steak Pit to experience Western flavours.

Meals: B,L

Be ready for a change of scenery as we make our way to Waterton Lakes National Park. At the junction of the Great Plains and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, we stop at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the largest and most outstanding buffalo jumps in North America. The visit offers an introduction to the traditions and hunting practices of the Indigenous Plains peoples. We then continue to Waterton Lakes, where we will spend the next two nights.

Meals: B,L

Waterton Lakes National Park has a unique topography, including red rock canyons, hundreds of deep blue lakes, and bear grass (vegetation found nowhere else in the Rockies). There is abundant wildlife as well, including bighorn sheep, black bears, grizzly bears and even bison. Our hike today takes us to Upper Rowe Lakes. The trail passes through mature forest and an enchanting wildflower meadow. The final section is more challenging, but the views over the alpine lakes are well worth the effort. This evening, we head out on a wildlife viewing drive, including the Bison Paddock Loop Road. Herds have recently been reintroduced as part of an Indigenous-led conservation project supported by Parks Canada.

Meals: B,L

After breakfast, we drive into ranch country and the foothills of southern Alberta, making a short stop in Longview to sample some of Alberta’s best beef jerky. We then continue across Highwood Pass, the highest paved road in Canada, and through the amazing Kananaskis Country. The rugged, steep grey layers of the front ranges rise sharply before giving way as we enter Banff National Park. Snow-capped peaks form a dramatic backdrop to glacial lakes, fast-flowing rivers and expansive forests. The park’s vast wilderness is home to elk, deer, moose, caribou, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, black and grizzly bears, wolves and cougars.

Meals: B,L

Today’s hike will be one of our easiest and one of the most beautiful. We save most of the uphill walking by taking the Sunshine Meadows gondola into the alpine areas surrounding the Continental Divide. Our walk leads past three alpine lakes, wildflower meadows, and views stretching up to 50km/31mi in all directions.Take in the panoramic mountain views of the Canadian Rockies. An early afternoon finish leaves time to explore the town of Banff from our centrally located accommodation.

Meals: B,L

It’s a short drive from Banff to Yoho National Park, giving us plenty of time to explore along the way. We couldn’t visit the region without stopping at the world-famous Lake Louise. From the iconic Chateau Lake Louise, our hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers offers scenic views of the surrounding mountains, with a collection of impressive peaks and glaciers. After our walk, we stop at Moraine Lake before continuing west across the Continental Divide into British Columbia. Following the Kicking Horse River, we pass the spiral tunnels built for the railroad before arriving in Yoho National Park.

Meals: B,L

We begin our hike by following the path to the base of Takakkaw Falls, meaning “magnificent” in the Cree language, for close-up views of the falls. At 380m/1,250ft, it’s not every day you get to stand beneath a waterfall over 1,000 feet tall! We then follow the trail along the Yoho River to Laughing Falls. Along the way, we pass several notable waterfalls, including Angel’s Staircase and Point Lace Falls. After our hike, we stop in the historic hamlet of Field to admire the well-preserved buildings of this former mining town. This evening, share highlights of the trip with your fellow travellers over a farewell dinner.

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, the trip concludes with a transfer to Calgary.

Meals: B

Ready to start your adventure?

2 scheduled departures between 26 Jun 2027 and 28 Aug 2027.

  • Departs 26 Jun 2027 – ends 4 Jul 2027 (9 days)
  • Departs 28 Aug 2027 – ends 5 Sep 2027 (9 days)
View dates to Book

What's included?

Included

  • 8 nights accommodation, double occupancy
  • 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 1 dinner
  • Services of a local guide
  • Return airport group transfers
  • Private internal transportation during the trip
  • Guided tour at Dinosaur Provincial Park
  • All permits, sightseeing and park entrance fees

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Travel insurance
  • Applicable taxes of 5% for bookings made in North America

Reviews (1)

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Good trip with a mix of culture and hiking. Our guide, Chris, was very good and knowledgeable, especially about geology. There was a disappointing amount of wildfire smoke, which led to some itinerary changes. The tour involves a lot of drive time, which is something to be aware of.

Marc Friedmann|California
15 Aug 2023

Extra trip info

AccommodationWill My Trip Run?
Royal Canadian Lodge Banff

Mountain lodges

Enjoy the elegance and comfort of historic mountain lodges with modern amenities set in the stunning mountain scenery.

Every departure date advises whether the date is confirmed, and roughly how full it is. Here is what each one means.

Is the departure confirmed?

Guaranteed to go This departure has reached its minimum number and will run.
It is the point travellers should wait for before booking any non-refundable flights.
Close to guaranteed This appears only when a date is close to reaching minimum numbers. If it shows 1 or 2 to guaranteed, book as a pair on a date needing two and it reaches its minimum. Your booking confirms the date for everybody already booked.

How full is the date I am looking at?

Space is filling or Space is filling fast This date has bookings and places are still open. Filling fast means limited spots available, so don't leave your decision too late.
Closing soon Down to its last few places, or close enough to departure that we are finalising numbers. Still bookable online.
Closed Not bookable online - either full, or inside the notice we need to arrange permits, flights and logistics. Ask us anyway, you never know!

Availability questions answered

Will this trip actually go ahead, or could it be cancelled?

If a date shows Guaranteed to go, it runs regardless of further bookings.

What does 2 to guarantee mean?

It means two travellers are enough to confirm the departure. It could be 2 more to add to the group, or the date only needs 2 people to run. Either way, if you book for two people, the date will become guaranteed to run.

What happens if my departure does not reach minimum numbers?

You will know the status before you book. Every date on this page is labelled, and dates marked “Guaranteed to go” are running regardless of further bookings. Where a date has not reached its minimum we either offer a surcharge to operate for a smaller group size so it can still run, or we cancel it. We contact you directly either way.

Will I get my money back if you cancel a departure?

If we cancel a departure due to not meeting minimum trip numbers, you receive a full refund of everything you have paid us less any non recoverable costs, where insurance may cover you. We cannot refund money committed elsewhere – additional non refundable deposits advised at the time of booking, flights, visas, vaccinations, gear - which is why it is worth waiting for “Guaranteed to go” before booking other arrangements around this trip date. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before you book.

Why can't I book some dates online?

Each trip closes online a set time before departure. Permits, internal flights and hut or campsite bookings all have to be arranged before we take payment. Call or enquire as it might still be possible to organise last minute places.

The date I want is closed. What are my options and why does it say to enquire?

Cancellations happen and places do open up on closed dates, so it is worth being on our list. We can also tell you which nearby date on the same trip has space, which is usually the faster route.

None of these dates suit me. Can you run this trip on another date?

Yes, as a private departure. We can run this trip on a date you choose, for your own group - family, friends, a club, or in many cases, just for the two of you. Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming, and we will build it around that.

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